The customs authority at Pakistan’s Karachi Port has put hundreds of containers carrying goods belonging to Afghan traders up for auction due to heavy taxes and charges for keeping them at the port.
The BBC reported on Saturday, October 24, that images released by an auction company show goods inside these containers being offered for sale to buyers.
Meanwhile, officials from the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce have described Pakistan’s move as a violation of regional and international trade laws.
The move comes amid political tensions, border clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan, and the closure of border crossings, which have severely disrupted trade between the two countries.
Earlier, Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper reported on October 19 that bilateral trade between the two countries had declined by 95 percent compared with the previous fiscal year following escalating tensions and the closure of border crossings.
